Tag Archives: Woman’s Day health editor Barbara Brody

For decades now, Olympia Dukakis has enthralled audiences with her portrayals of strong, independent women.

But recently the star had to draw on that strength to cope with a worrisome health issue in her own family.

"It was a big surprise," Olympia (above) tells us of Louis' disorder.

Interviewed on Radio WD’s HealthyYou, Olympia tells host, and Woman’s Day health editor, Barbara Brody how her be- loved husband of 47 years, Louis Zorich, first learned he had Type 2 diabetes.

“It was about seven months ago. He thought – and we thought – that he was free and clear,” she says of her fellow actor, who played Paul Reiser‘s dad on Mad About You.

“He comes from a family that has diabetes. His mother had it, his three sisters had it. But his three brothers didn’t.

“So at some point in his mind he thought, Oh, I’m not going to get this. It’s bypassed the men in the family,” continues the ageless beauty, who won an Oscar for her role in 1987’s Moonstruck. “He was really shocked.”

Still, Olympia manages to find humor in the situation.

"Our health is the greatest gift we have," Olympia (with Louis) has said.

“It’s changed how he looks at his food and how he functions. He’s really careful about it. He always has a chocolate bar someplace on his body,” she says.

“But sometimes I think he just uses it because he really likes chocolate bars. A lot.”

In the wake of Louis’ diagnosis, Olympia has become involved in a program called Ask. Screen. Know., which encourages people enrolled in Medicare to get a free diabetes screening and know their blood-sugar numbers.